I’m showing you how to make smokin hot Egyptian pillars out of cardboard. It’s such a cool and awesome idea for any fun co-op or party theme. Also, look at my Ancient Civilizations and Ancient Civilizations II pages.
Ideally I wish everybody would have a Cynthia as one of their co-op leaders, but since that is not possible, I want to share one idea that came of out of her creative little mind for our co-op.
Besides being a great friend, she is so talented at coming up with ideas that keeps the fire for fun stoked in our co-ops.
It was her idea to have two 8 1/2 feet Egyptian columns and they came out so beautiful because of her hard work. We did this for our study of the Great Empires by Home School in the Woods.
It was one of our favorite studies.
The strengths she brings to a co-op is an excellent example of what I talked about in my 5 Days of a Homeschooling Co-op. Prep the learning environment and the kids will have fun and learn at the same time.
Here is her supply list:
- 14 – 5 gal. buckets
- 2 rolls duct tape
- 6 sections of clean bendable cardboard large enough to wrap around buckets (each about 4 ft. wide x 3 ft. tall )
- paintable wallpaper samples cut into strips (optional)
- chalk pastels
- paint
- Elmer’s glue
- spray can of matte finish for protecting chalk pastels
- large heavy rocks that will fit in 2-5 gal. buckets
- 2 pieces of wood cut to serve as caps for tops of pillars
- 2 hooks for banner
- tape measure, ladder or chair
BOOKS FOR KIDS ABOUT ANCIENT EMPIRES
First, look at some fun books to add to your study of Ancient Empires.
13 Ancient Civilization Hands-on Resources and Books
Add some of these fun resources to your unit study or study for the day of Ancient Civilizations.
Tarquin Popups are a special kind of do it yourself activity book. Not only is there the fun of making the scenes and seeing them popup but they are full of interesting information and ideas. This book contains six main scenes to make: Knossos, the Palace of Minos, the Lion Gate at Mycenae, the Battle of Salamis, the Golden Age of Athens, the Theatre, Alexander the Great and King Porus.
A magnificently illustrated, interactive pop-up book chronicles the history of ancient Egypt and its diverse cultural innovations, covering everything to the construction of the Egyptian pyramids and the elaborate mummification process, to the mysterious rites performed at an Egyptian god's temple and the ancient hieroglyphic writings.
Children can try their hand at re-creating ancient Israelite culture—along with the cultures of their neighbors, the Philistines and Phoenicians—in a way that will provide perspective on current events. The book covers a key period from the Israelites’ settlement in Canaan in 1200 B.C.E. to their return from exile in Babylonia in 538 B.C.E. This part of the Middle East—no larger than modern-day Michigan—was the birthplace of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. More than 35 projects include stomping grapes into juice, building a model Phoenician trading ship, making a Philistine headdress, and writing on a broken clay pot. Israelites', Phoenicians', and Philistines' writing and languages, the way they built their homes, the food they ate, the clothes they wore, and the work they did, and of course, their many interesting stories.
The new National Geographic Treasury of Greek Mythology offers timeless stories of Greek myths in a beautiful new volume. Brought to life with lyrical text by award-winning author Donna Jo Napoli and stunning artwork by award-winning illustrator Christina Balit, the tales of gods and goddesses such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Athena and heroes and monsters such as Helen of Troy, Perseus, and Medusa will fascinate and engage children’s imaginations.
Included in this study are over 35 projects, games, recipes, links, and the history of fourteen empires! Generally, each empire's materials can be covered in 1-3 days
Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece explores the scientific discoveries, athletic innovations, engineering marvels, and innovative ideas created more than two thousand years ago. Through biographical sidebars, interesting facts, fascinating anecdotes, and fifteen hands-on activities, readers will learn how Greek innovations and ideas have shaped world history and our own world view.
Is your child fascinated by Ancient Egypt? if so then this Ancient Egypt themed activity book is just for them. This is a great book for boys and girls who have an interest in Ancient Egypt. This Ancient Egypt themed activity book will keep them entertained and happy for hours.
Great Ancient China Projects You Can Build Yourself explores the incredible ingenuity and history of ancient China with 25 hands-on projects for readers ages 9 and up. Great Ancient China Projects covers topics from porcelain pottery, paper, gunpowder, and dynasties, to martial arts, medicinal healers, jade carvers, and terracotta warriors.
Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece explores the scientific discoveries, athletic innovations, engineering marvels, and innovative ideas created more than two thousand years ago. Through biographical sidebars, interesting facts, fascinating anecdotes, and fifteen hands-on activities, readers will learn how Greek innovations and ideas have shaped world history and our own world view.
What humans call “civilization” didn’t always exist. We didn’t always live in big cities, have roads to get places easier, or grow food on farms. For a long time, humans were hunter-gatherers. Hunter-gatherers wandered from place to place looking for food. They didn’t build homes or stay in one place. The Sumerians, as far as we know, were the first people to start a civilization.
The book includes the following pockets:
- What Is History?
- Ancient Mesopotamia
- Ancient Egypt
- Ancient Greece
- Ancient Rome
- Ancient China
- Ancient Aztec World
This resource contains teacher support pages, reproducible student pages, and an answer key.
Cleopatra has been called intelligent and scheming, ambitious and ruthless, sensual and indulgent. This unique biography captures the excitement of her life story, including portions that have been largely neglected, such as her interest in literature and science and her role as a mother, and allows readers to draw their own conclusions. Cleopatra and Ancient Egypt for Kids also includes maps, time lines, online resources, a glossary, and 21 engaging hands-on activities to help readers better appreciate the ancient culture.
HANDS ON LEARNING: Supernow educational boxes includes an adventure box with 4 hands-on projects and interactive digital content to bring the projects to life!
INTERACTIVE PLAY: Kids get a monthly adventure box that serves as a portal to an immersive adventure. Participate in an unfolding mission by attending live, interactive classes and solving fun clues.
And here is her explanation of how to make them.
1. Find a picture of Egyptian pillars to use as a guide for colors and patterns.
2. Decide how tall you want the pillars.
We used 7 buckets stacked on top of one another which made each pillar about 8 1/2 ft tall. You can adjust the height by using more or fewer buckets.
3. Remove the metal handles from all of the buckets.
4. Fill the bottom bucket with heavy rocks. This will give the pillar stability.
5. After the bottom bucket is full of rocks place another bucket with the open end on top of the open end of the bucket with the rocks in it.
Use duct tape to secure the two buckets together tightly right around the outside of the buckets where the open ends are placed together.
Be generous with the duct tape and go all the way around the buckets perhaps even a couple of times for strength and stability.
6. Place a third bucket on top of the first two so that the bottom ends are against one another. Use duct tape to secure them together tightly where the two bottom ends meet.
Don’t forget to go all the way around the buckets with the duct tape once again.
MAKE EGYPTIAN PILLAR CRAFT
7. Continue placing and taping the buckets together in the same manner as the first and second buckets alternating (open end to open end, bottom end to bottom end) as you go up until you have reached the height you desire.
8. Decorate each section of cardboard.
There are many ways this can be done, but we used chalk pastels which we sprayed with matte finish for the bottom two sections and paintable wallpaper sample strips for the top section.
After the wallpaper sample strips dry, glue them to the top cardboard section. Or instead of wallpaper sample strips you can easily continue decorating the top section with pastels or paint.
9. Once everything on the cardboard is dry attach the bottom section to the pillar.
We taped ours together at the back with duct tape as well as double-sided duct tape between the cardboard and bucket to give it extra strength. Be generous with the duct tape so the pillars don’t come apart.
EGYPTIAN PILLARS FOR A FUN HOMESCHOOL HISTORY CO-OP
10. Place the next section of cardboard right above the one on bottom and duct tape it in the same manner as the first.
11. Attach the last section of cardboard with duct tape above the second one in the same way as the first two.
12. Now you are ready to cap the pillar. For a cap we used a board cut a little bigger than the top of the bucket.
We also nailed another board a little smaller than the opening of the bucket to the bottom side of the board that serves as the cap. This anchored the cap inside the bucket so that it would not fall off.
13. To hang a banner or something else between the pillars install hooks into the middle of the edges of the caps.
I love the fact she used discarded wall paper books and buckets.
Simply ask your local paint store if they have any supplies like that they are discarding.
Our study of the Great Empires won’t be easily forgettable because of her hard work. A little cardboard, imagination and diy creates lasting memories.
Thanks Cynthia for such an amazing job. I hope this inspires you with an idea or two to keep activities fun in your co-op or just through the summer.
Are you going to give it a try?
Use this idea with my Ancient Civilizations Unit Study and my other unit study, Ancient Civilizations II.
Debbie,
I have just always used regular cardboard that they give away or throw away at the stores as they unload a product.
I find that if I bend it, it is better.. That is how I shaped the holder on the shield. But free cardboard works just fine and if you tear it too hard, you can always pick up more free..lol